The German Neubaufarzeuge V Und VI Heavy Tank

The German Neubaufarzeuge V Und VI Heavy Tank

The German Neubaufarzeuge V Und VI Heavy Tank Background

Due to the restrictions on German tank development as a result of the Treaty of Versailles, Germany was forced to conduct a secretive development of new tanks, which included a heavy tank. In 1925 this was code named Grosstraktor, meaning “large tractor”. However this project was not a success and a new heavy tank design was started in 1934 code named Neubaufarzeuge meaning “New Construction”. Both German firms Krupps and Rheinmetall submitted prototypes. Rheinmetall’s was Neubaufarzeuge V aka model B and Krupps Neubaufarzeuge VI aka model A.

Both had pretty much identical layouts. A traversable turret which had a 37mm main gun (Model B had a 105mm howitzer instead) a front mounted PzKpfw I turret with a Machine Gun in front of the main turret and another the PzKpfw I turret behind the main turret.

8 prototypes were built in total and saw limited action during the invasion of Norway in later years.